Country Escape's 2nd pond - Goldfish only

[j.w]

Neat work CE and oh no not more roots! Somebody must have an ax to borrow somewhere out there on the prairie.

Is this where we are supposed to tell you to keep digging, digging, digging to make it bigger like we do all the new people when they are thinking it is big enough,lol!

 

[j.w]

What do you mean mine hasn't changed? I am seeing Yakky Doodle right now as my avatar. Am I the only one seeing this? I still see yours as the pond CE. Don't you see me as a cute little duck now?

 

[j.w]

Ok I just clicked the refresh button and yours turned into the bright rainbow fishy CE!

 

[CountryEscape]

Aha! Yours was still your picture until I hit the refresh. Thanks! I see mine now, too.
Yep, you can tell me to keep digging digging digging ... but I'm already doing that for just about every daylight hour that I'm not at work! LOL I hauled off 3 loads in the scoop, but can't stack them very full, it's so crumbly that it's falling back out.
I measured what I have dug so far, and want to make it as wide as I can, plus a good sized bog for my filtration since I'm going to try no other filtration besides the bog in this pond. If I can make it wider, I will, but the liner is 20' wide.
So, if I have it figured correctly, it's on a curve, but if I made it straight and squared off the corners pretty much, it would be 15'x6'x4' deep. That comes out to be around 2,700 gallons, which sounds sufficient for a good number of goldfish and shubunkins, and the few fantails that I have. Someone chime in if not so!
And, widthwise, if my liner is 20' wide, I will already be using up 14' of the 20' for the width (6' average) and 4' deep (4+4+8). So, that only leaves me 6' for the bog. My idea is to have the bog 3' wide, so that would make it 18" deep. Voila! I think I figured it out correctly! I'm not going to dig the bog until I get the liner, lay it in the pond, probably fill the pond, too, and since there will be a small wall between the two, I can dig the bog with the liner rolled up on the edge and make it as deep as I can after making sure I have enough liner for the pond. If there is extra liner in the inside of the curve, I may add a small bog on that side as well. As usual, I'll be trying to use every inch of the liner as possible!

 

[addy1]

OK, got it, I think, as far as changing my avatar ... we shall see!
Here are a couple pictures of my progress from this evening after work.
This first picture is taken from above, at the farthest end of the pond. I'm dealing with pretty large roots in the middle, so switched ends, and came upon some more big roots, darn it! This end is dug down to right at 3' at the deepest part where the shovel is, and with the 2 blocks that will be on the outer edge, I'm pretty much where I want to be depth wise on this end.
View attachment 41121
This next picture shows the limestone "shelf" that you see in the first picture on the lower right. I'm thinking that this chunk is going to get to stay put, since this would make the shelf (the only shelf I'm planning on for this pond) about 26" down.
View attachment 41122
The root has to go, I know, but again, I need an ax.
I want to have some lilys on this pond, but want it to be more "heron safe", so this end with the shelf can have a short fence and fishing line across the top if necessary, to keep any possibly herons from wading in on the shelf. The rest of the pond will be about 3.5-4' deep.

Take a saw jaw or a jig saw they cut roots very nicely. I have also used a hack saw. To me easier than a ax.

 

[CountryEscape]

It would be too hard to get a saw against the wall to cut it back as far as I can, so it's not sticking into the liner when I lay it. I do have a very large pruner, but pretty sure not quite large enough, but didn't think of trying that! I don't have one of those Sawzall, or would use it. I'll figure it out somehow. Pretty sunny day again, so will be digging another 2 hours this evening. Woohoo!

 

[addy1]

Dig the wall back a little further than you need it, cut the root there, then put some dirt back, make a mud pack.

 

[CountryEscape]

Went out to supper with a girlfriend this evening after work, had some catching up to do. LOL Tomorrow is the Garden Show in Chicago so no working on pond until Thursday evening, and that's only if no rain on Thurs. Oh well, there's always the weekend again. I needed a break anyhow.
Good idea, Addy, I'll see what I can figure out with the roots.

 

[j.w]

We all need a break now and then..............so ya get that ax yet................Idle hands are the devils playground

 

[addy1]

Got to keep it fun rather than a job ce! Take some breaks

 

[CountryEscape]

Tonight I will be back at it. Beautiful weather, I should take the day off work tomorrow, and may do just that to finish the dig and get the liner put in. Goldfish are chasing like mad men this morning in pond, so I have to get them MOVED. Plus, I'm VERY anxious to get the basement pool fish into the ponds. My goal, to have the goldfish pond up and running this weekend and fish in it!!! Have everything but the liner to get that done, and the weather looks like it is going to be more than satisfactory. Woohhoo!!!

 

[koiguy1969]

you could use a recipicating saw like a sawzall...it will leave a much nicer cut than an axe!

 

[j.w]

I vote take the day off CE and get it finished.................I mean what's more important,lol!

 

[CountryEscape]

Well, ladies, I did just that! I took the day off. Only thing I just realized I do not have is carpeting to put under the liner, so going to call the local furniture store and see if they have anyone installing tomorrow or Saturday so I can get the old carpeting to use. No way will I get so lucky to find such clean carpeting to use, but I don't mind, just need something as a buffer between the liner and those roots.
I got most of the roots cut off. I ended up using my little hack saw, Addy, and packed the hold with mud just like you said. LOL I didn't really want to buy a saw, KoiGuy, but I probably should because it's something I could use often. Just have the group of roots on the inside curve to cut off and then dig out under them, and I should be ready to measure and get the liner. So, I'm really hoping to find some carpeting to pick up tomorrow. Totally forgot about that, darn it. I have nothing laying around here to put under liner either, except an old tarp that has holes in it, which I guess would be better than nothing.
Tonight my main pond is very murky, darn it. Algae has been growing like none other with this warm weather. Fish are chasing so maybe there is stuff on the bottom they are stirring up. The water in the waterfall seems to be crystal clear, as with the pool at the bottom of the waterfall, so it's something with the water itself. Wonder if I should hook up my UV light as I sure don't want any pea green soup again this year, darn it!

 

[Sheetmetalman]

Started my waterfall/filter up today also Patty--so far so good--everythings working and waters clear, hope it stays that way. I only got back on here today and read your post--sorry I didnt read them sooner since I have a sawzall, an axe and a mattock that you could have borrowed--still can in fact if you run into anymore root trouble. Good Luck on your project